Mentol Blog's

While the whole country has gone cricket crazy (thanks to the ongoing IPL)



Bollywood hunk John Abraham seems to be more inclined towards football. The handsome hunk, who always had a soft corner for soccer, has been appointed as the brand ambassador for the UEFA European Football Championship 2008 to be held next month in Austria and Switzerland.

John, who did play some serious football in his last release Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal, was also seen promoting the English Premiere League in the past.

With the craze for soccer growing by leaps and bounds, broadcasters ESPN is expecting impressive ratings for the UEFA Euro 2008 which starts in June 2008. Well….with John promoting the game, we are sure that the game will also see a lot of female fan following.

This is no bluff, guys and gals. Bollywood’s pin-up boy John Abraham might soon pose nude for a good cause.

We have heard of Hollywood celebrities posing nude for the cause of animals. Now, John is set to do the same for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). The theme of the ad will be: it is better to go nude than wear clothes made from animal products.

Ingrid Newkirk, founder and president of PETA, says: “It’s true. John has told us that if he ever decided to pose nude, it would be for PETA.”

If John indeed does so he would be joining the likes of international celebrities like Pamela Anderson, Kim Basinger and Tyra Banks.

Newkirk also adds that international male model Patrick Ribbsaeter will also do a nude PETA campaign for saving elephants in India.

Anuradha Sawhney, chief functionary for PETA, India, confirms that John might pose nude for PETA. However, she adds that the campaign will be done aesthetically, “keeping Indian sensibilities in mind.”

Speaking about John, Sawhney told a news channel: “John is truly concerned about animals, whether it be stray dogs or cows on the road or birds in cages. In fact, when he posed in a cage for our PETA campaign, we got such a tremendous response from people all over who wanted to know how they could help the cause.”

In fact, so intense is John’s love for the animals that recently at PETA’s 8th anniversary at ITC Grand Maratha, Mumbai, he willingly went on stage and asked the celebrities there to donate generously for PETA. Within minutes he helped the organization raise a few lakh rupees.

Given John’s passion, it is not surprising that he is willing to drop his clothes if doing so helps the cause of animals.

Deepa Mehta was all praise about John Abraham and his performance in ‘Water’, but we never really thought that she would be the one who would give him an international platform. Right now John is in her two ambitious international projects. One of which is with Amitab Bachchan and another film ‘Luna’ starring Rachel Weisz.



Rachel Weisz is popular Hollywood actress with films like The Mummy, Constantine and Constant Gardner to her credit. She won the 2006 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Constant Gardner. The film is scripted by two time Oscar winner David Ward.



John’s film ‘Exclusion’ with Amitab will be shot later this year. Deepa Mehta announced ‘Luna’ in Cannes. Although Rachel Weisz would be the main protagonist, playing the title character Luna, John will also have a full-fledged role, says Deepa Mehta.

‘Luna’ is based on a real life story of an American activist and environmentalist Julia Butterfly Hill, who protested against the felling of trees in the Red Wood forests in the US by climbing a 180-foot Redwood tree. The lady climbed down only 738 days later- from 1997 to 1999. The tree was named Luna. The protest had a huge impact and a resolution was formed in 1999 to protect all trees in the 3-acre buffer zone of the Redwood forest.

John is also playing an environmentalist in ‘Luna’, but his cultural origin is not specified He is neither an Indian, nor an American in the film. This makes him Bollywood’s first actor to do a Hollywood film without playing an NRI or some snake charmer.

John was not only her choice says Deepa, “The true-life inspiration for the film, Julia Hill, just loved John. Her approval was very important. She thought he looked like Antonio Banderas!”

‘Kingfisher Swimsuit Special’ has always been the specially awaited one. And it’s sixth edition (2008) was unveiled by none other than the dashing Bollywood actor John Abraham (looking all the more dashing in all whites and his killer smile) along with UB Ltd Chairman Dr Vijay Mallya amidst a host of celebrities from the world of fashion, business and celluloid here. Shot by ace photographer Atul Kasbekar, the calendar features seven models.

This year’s calendar has the pride of exhibiting some of the finest and most luxurious brands in the world including La Perla swimwear from their special ‘India inspired line’, shoes by Jimmy Choo, sunglasses by Roberto Cavalli, watches by Watches of Switzerland and accessories by Christian Dior.

Pakistan’s famous cross-dressing TV host Begum Nawazish Ali has offered to look for a suitable Pakistani bride for Bollywood actor John Abraham , who has reportedly split with long-time girlfriend and actress Bipasha Basu .

“Why did John and Bipasha split is Begum the culprit?” ran the previews on Aaj TV, which airs the “Late Night Begum Nawazish Ali Show” every Saturday.

Begum Nawazish aka Ali Saleem flew to Mumbai to meet John whose Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal is the first film to be simultaneously released in India and Pakistan — has been a smash hit across the border.

There was no escape for John from the Begum’s flirtatious ways in the hour-long show.

Dressed in a heavily embellished mauve sari, the Begum kept referring to Bipasha as John’s ‘physiotherapist’, but the actor smiled through it all very sportingly.

When John who was asked about his plans to marry, said ‘not anytime soon’ the Begum offered to look for a suitable Pakistani girl.

Bipasha and John Sizzling in JismShe also jokingly offered to speak to John’s mother about herself. “Woh (Bipasha) toh abhi bachchi hai (Bipasha is a kid),” she guffawed.

“Physiotherapist to hamari baatein nahin sun rahi” (I hope the physiotherapist is not eavesdropping).

Speaking about ‘Goal’, John, who was christened Farhan by his mother who is of Iranian descent, said the film is about “unity”. The movie is based on the exploits of expatriates from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan who come together to form a football team in London.

“People are tired of fighting, of wars. This is a film, which unites Indians, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis. It shows the confluence of cultures.

“When we were shooting in Southall (in London) we actually got abused. So whatever is shown in the film about racism is actually true.”

Though he has never been to Pakistan, John said he plans to be there soon to promote the film. “It was a last minute decision to release the film in Pakistan. So I could not plan a trip there,” he disclosed.

The brawny actor, who has many Pakistani friends including Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood of the band Strings, said, “Indian and Pakistani people do not have a problem with each other. The problem is politics just like the politics in Bollywood which I do not understand.”

Prodded by the Begum, John said he did not believe in the many Bollywood camps. “Directors have favourite actors. But no camps for me. I have refused big banners who told me they would blot me out.”

When he was told of the many fans he had in Pakistan, John, who was last week voted the third sexiest Asian, said, “I don’t like the word fans. I prefer to say audience, brothers. They respect my work, so I should also treat them with respect.

“Till 2003, I had no money. I lived a very middle- class life. I have the money now. But in my head I am still very middle-class,” John said.

You would think he doesn’t need to go on a fitness drive anymore, bulging as he is with biceps and triceps. But John Abraham can’t have enough of fitness- and can’t seem to stop sending out those public awareness messages that gladden the health lobby. The brawny Bollywood hero, after playing the role of a nicotine- craving chain smoker speeding down the highway of doom in Anurag Kashyap’s ‘No Smoking’, has now signed up as the face of the Mumbai Marathon 2008, scheduled to be held in January. And he is not stopping at that- the easy rider has also got himself chosen as the brand ambassador for the English Premiere League, and is reportedly thrilled to be associated with a game he has played since childhood. And all this when memories of a leaf-clad John endorsing vegetarianism are still fresh in most minds. Way to go, John!